1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a garment configured to encircle the trunk of a wearer, and more particularly, to a pants-like garment incorporating a stretchable construction to prevent exposure of the wearer's buttocks during bending and twisting movements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art pants-like garments incorporate a waistband configured to encircle the waist of the wearer and a covering portion configured to encircle the trunk of the wearer. The covering portion comprises a front section and a rear section which are both connected, adjacent their top edges, to the waistband. The length of the covering portion may vary depending upon the design of the garment. For instance, if the garment is designed as dress or sport pants, the covering portion has a length sized to fully cover the legs of the wearer. In the case of shorts, the covering portion only partially covers the legs of the wearer.
In order to hold the pants-like garment in position, with the waistband encircling the waist and the covering portion fully covering the trunk of the wearer, the waistband may be provided with a plurality of belt loops to receive a belt that is adjustably fastened to press the waistband inwardly against the waist of the wearer in a binding-like manner. The waistband may be formed from two strip-like portions, namely, a front waistband and a rear waistband contacting the waist of the wearer when the garment is worn.
Even when the pants-like garment is worn with a belt, when the wearer bends over forwardly or twists his or her trunk from side to side, a downward deformation of the rear section of the covering portion and the waistband may result to produce an untidy appearance as well as an embarrassing exposure of the buttocks.
The present invention is intended to prevent such downward deformation of the waistband and the rear section of the covering portion by connecting the rear section to the waistband by a stretchable member. The member preferably includes an elongated strip of stretchable material having an elasticity in a pair of directions perpendicular and parallel to the waistband. When the wearer bends or twists his or her trunk, the material stretches and the waistband remains essentially in an undisturbed position encircling the waist of the wearer. For instance, when the wearer bends forward, the material stretches in a direction perpendicular to the waistband to prevent a downward deformation of the waistband and the rear section of the covering portion and, thereby lessen the likelihood of exposure of the buttocks during such bending movement.